Why bankers are heading East

An exodus of talent from banks in the US and Europe is benefiting financial institutions in Asia.

A year ago, FinanceAsia sat down with one of Hong Kong's top headhunters to get a feel for the market for financial jobs. The world was a very different place -- banks were still laying off staff en masse, deals had come to a complete standstill and markets had yet to bottom out.

Not surprisingly, it was a gloomy conversation. He foresaw a financial industry that would...